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Isabella Chen MA ’21

What brought you to occupational therapy?
A friend who was in another occupational therapy program recommended the field. I shadowed at an inpatient hospital and an outpatient clinic, and I told myself that I could see myself doing this in the future. While I was in the program, my grandmother who had dementia was released from hospital care to live with my grandfather. A few weeks later, she died from a brain hemorrhage due to an easily preventable fall. Now I am more dedicated than ever to become an occupational therapist who can help future clients prevent falls such as the one that caused my grandmother’s death.

What area of practice are you interested in?
I am interested in adult rehabilitation. My career goal is to be an inpatient rehabilitation specialist.

What are some of the occupations you engage in?
I enjoy watching tv shows and movies, reading light novels, and creative writing.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
I would love to travel back to Japan one day. I went once with a tour group when I was a junior in high school and I fell in love with the culture, the architecture, and the food! I would love to go on my own solo trip in the future.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Don’t ever let other people decide for you who you will be. You have stardust in your spine and veins that flow with galaxies. A whole universe resides in your body. And no one dares to tell a universe what it can and cannot be.”

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USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is accredited by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. All states require licensure to practice; a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® OTR certification examination or attain state licensure. Program results from the NBCOT® can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.